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Move to offer voters organ donor card is ruled illegal

A SCHEME to include organ donor cards with voter registration forms, which has resulted in 650,000 new potential donors, has been ruled illegal.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has written to councils warning that they could face a legal challenge if they send any more organ donor cards to the homes of voters.

The Representation of the People (Amendment) Regulations 2002 forbid including any additional material in voter registration forms. Breaching the law could see local authorities fined up to £5,000.

In England 18 authorities that had planned to get involved in the initiative have pulled out as a result of the advice. No Scottish councils are including the donor forms when they send out registration forms this year.

Dundee city council, the only Scottish authority that has taken part in the scheme, last year encouraged more than 11,000 people to become potential organ donors, but the advice from the commission